Lockdown News 6: Relaxation

While Berlin is already ballsy enough to re-open shopping malls, Paris remains
in full lockdown for at least two more weeks. But life keeps creeping back.

Spirits are up in our street. (Photo: Daniel)

While Berlin is already ballsy enough to re-open shopping malls, Paris remains
in full lockdown for at least two more weeks. But life keeps creeping back.

Supermarket in corona times. (Photo: Daniel)

Back in March, when the lockdwon measure were first announced, everyone seemed
a bit shellshocked. The streets were empty. People who had flocked to
cafes and bars only days before watched in awe as the ICUs were filling up;
and critical patiens had to be put on trains and moved elsewhere. In the first
days, nobody ventured farther than the nearest supermarket.

Cafe time. (Photo: Daniel)

On the first warm weekend in March, a few people went to the streets
and measures were tightened immediately: No more jogging during working hours,
no more farmer’s markets and thorough media scoldings of the “relaxed” attitude.
When easter came the police was mobilized in force, to quash any attempt at
travel – though they didn’t interfere with shopping for the easter feast.

Pizza is back. (Photo: Daniel)

But then, slowly, a new type of normal started seeping in. It started with the
daily applause for the nursing staff, which still brings all neighbors to the
windows. The Brazilians further down the road started regular parties on the
balcony, decorations and flags above the street soon followed.

Keeping the distance. (Photo: Daniel)

Restaurants (re-)opened for takeaway, people started queuing up for
hip pizza again and met for an apero on the street (with due distancing). In
Monmatre, the first street musicians were coming back to the streets.

Queuing for cookies (Photo: Daniel)

When we went out last weekend – the warmest so far – things seemed almost
normal again. Kids were out with their parents, queuing for ice cream; our favourite
Scoop me a cookie opened it’s doors again for the day and our neighborhood
between Avenue de Clichy and Batignoles had a busy vibe.

Empty streets in the center. (Photo: Daniel)

Still: Downtown, at the grands magasins, where tourists would now be out
in force, the streets were completely deserted. Even our favourite Asian
supermarkets went into hypernation.

Fresh Cookies. (Photo: Daniel)

As numbers are looking up, the media backlash wasn’t as harsh as before;
now everyone looks forward to the deconfinement which is slateed to start on
the 11th of May:

According to the current plan restaurants, cafes and cinemas will remain closed.
But people will be allowed out again without a self-certification and most shops
are set to re-open. Travel will remain restricted to within 100km around your
home.

Details are still fuzzy, though. Paris is currently considered a “red” zone,
where the virus circulates widely and medical capacities are “strained”. We are
therefore poised for a more “restrictive” re-opening, though it isn’t clear
what that means.